


Beloved Son

by FrenchRoast



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Parent Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-09
Updated: 2014-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-03 23:26:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1759589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrenchRoast/pseuds/FrenchRoast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle and Rumplestiltskin visit Neal's grave</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beloved Son

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Rumbelle Newlyweds Challenge

Rumple came home from his shop to find Belle already there, sitting in what had become “her” armchair, reading. Sitting on the coffee table in front of her was a beautiful floral arrangement of crimson roses, sunflowers, and some orange and yellow flowers that looked like daisies but weren’t. Belle looked up from her book as Rumple came in the front door. 

She breathed in deeply, trying to steady her nerves. What she had planned for this evening wasn’t going to be fun, but it was important, and she felt bad that she’d helped him put it off this long. Belle knew from experience that the longer you waited, the harder it became. She closed her book. 

“Who sent the flowers?”

“No one sent them, Rumple. I stopped by my father’s flower shop on my way home from the library, and he helped me put the arrangement together.” 

“It’s quite spectacular.” Rumple stared at the flowers. “I didn’t forget an anniversary or something, did I? We’ve only been married a few weeks.”

“It’s for Neal,” Belle said. “To take to his grave. I know you haven’t been yet, and I was thinking I should go with you. “

Rumple sat down slowly. He looked at Belle, and though he knew she’d already see him cry, Rumple wasn’t sure he wanted her to keep having to take care of him. He was supposed to be the one protecting her. “I think maybe I should go alone. These—the flowers are beautiful, but I don’t know that you really want to go with me. I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“I know I don’t talk about it much, Rumple, but when my mother died…” here Belle trailed off, uncertain of how to complete her thought. “It’s easier if you don’t go alone the first time. I want to be there for you. We can stay for as long or as little as you want.”

Rumple stared at the bright flowers in the ceramic vase; he’d heard her, but he didn’t want to agree yet. He knew Bae…Neal was gone, but he was still clinging to the final glimpse of him, caught as Zelena marched him off, leaving Emma crying over Neal’s unmoving body. Rumple knew Neal was gone, gone completely, sucked into the ground, but this time, it wasn’t due to a magic bean, and there was no hope of finding him in another realm. Neal was out of reach. Rumple didn't even know what they'd put on his gravestone. 

Belle stood up from her spot in the armchair and stepped over to the arrangement on the coffee table. “Each of the flowers have a meaning—crimson roses are for mourning, helenium—those are the yellow and orange ones—represent tears. But the sunflowers,” she pointed out with a woebegone smile, “are for pride and appreciation. I know you’re proud of the man your son became. Everyone appreciates the sacrifice he made for us. And he was proud of the man you have become.”

“I could never have become better without the both of you, Belle,” Rumple replied. The sight of the flowers had begun to blur as tears welled up in his eyes. “You’re more than I could ever deserve.”

“Don’t say that,” Belle chided him. “I love you, and you deserve to be loved. Always.” 

*****

A little while later, Rumple stopped his car at the entrance to the cemetery. He opened the door for Belle, who stepped out carrying the floral arrangement. Dusk was falling and the cemetery would close soon, but no one in their right mind would really try to stop the Dark One from visiting his son’s grave for the first time, nor would Belle let anyone try to usher them away before they were ready to go. 

Neal’s grave wasn’t far from the entrance. Belle let Rumple walk up to it first, and watched him as he traced his fingers over the engraved letters of the tombstone, focusing on the words above Neal’s name. BELOVED SON. “Son, I want you to know how proud I am of you. You were a better man than I could have ever hoped you would be. I don’t know how--” 

Suddenly Rumple buckled to the ground, sobbing. Belle ran up to him, setting the ceramic vase to the right of the gravestone before kneeling down to hold him in a tight embrace. 

“I’m so sorry, Bae,” he cried, choking out the words between sobs. “I never wanted this for you. I wanted us to be a family. I wanted you to be happy. I wanted anything but this,” he cried as he clung to Belle. She held her husband fiercely and stroked the back of his head. Rumple quietly shook in her arms, every breath ragged as he buried his face into her shoulder and wept for his lost son.


End file.
